Road-grader.



C. M. NORDENSTAM, In.

ROAD GR ADER.

APPLICATION HLED' MAY 9. I916.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR farz Warden sz cmwjil ATTORNEY C. M NORDENSTAM, JR.

ROAD GRADEYR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9.1916.

1 ,256,925. Patented Feb. 19, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- f I c lmlllllllllmllli INVENTOR ATTOHN EY CARL M. NOBDENSTAM, JR., OF BEBTRAND, NEBRASKA.

BOAD-GBAIDEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed May 9, 1916. Serial No. 96,435.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL M. NORDENSTAM, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Bertrand, in the county of Phelps and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road- Graders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to road graders and more particularly to new and useful improvements in centrifugal road graders.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a road grader which is adapted for use along the side of a road, the grader having means for dislodging the earth and means for throwing the same toward the center of the road thereby performing the grading operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for controlling the earth scatterin member, and means for regulating the depth to which the earth dislodging member operates.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a road grading device of the character above described which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, strong and durable and effective in operation.

With the above and other objects in view my invention resides preferably in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a road grading machine embodying the improvements of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged side elevational view of a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with the driving wheels of the device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View of a supporting bracket for the grading memher, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a vertical adjusting means for the grading implement.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the various views of the drawings.

In the drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, I provide a substantially rectangular frame 1 having side portions 2 and 3 and end portions 4. One rear corner of the frame 1 is diagonally formed as indicated at 5 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The frame 1 is adjustable on a shaft or axle 6 on the ends of which are mounted driving wheels 7, ratchet wheels 8 being rigidly mounted on the shaft 6 and connected with the driving wheels by means of spring-pressed pawls 9, as shown to advantage in Fig. 4.. Levers 10 pivoted at the points 11 are connected as at 12 with the shaft 6, whereby the frame may be adjusted with respect to the shaft. Suitable quadrants 13 are provided to lock the levers in adjusted position. A plow beam is indicated at 14 and has the usual clevis 15 on the forward end thereof and a plow 16 on the rear end thereof. The plow beam may be connected with the frame 1 in any desired manner, brackets 17 being shown for this purpose. A shaft 18 is carried by the side portions 2 and 3 of the frame 1 and a handle 19 serves to move said shaft for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The shaft is connected through an arm 20 to an extension 21 carried by the plow 14, and a quadrant 22 serves for locking the handle 19 in adjusted position. The object of the handle 19 is to vertically adjust the plow beam to regulate the depth of the plow independently of the driving wheels 7. It is of course understood that the plow beam is pivoted in the brackets 17 so that vertical movement of the beam may be had.

The graduating mechanism of my invention includes a longitudinally disposed shaft 23 mounted in brackets 24 carried by the side portion 3 of the frame 1. A substantially right angular bracket 25 is carried by the axle 6 and serves as a bearing to carry an extension 26 of the shaft 23, said shaft 23 and extension 26 being universally connected as at 27. A bevel gear 28 is carried by the free extremity of the shaft extension 26 and meshes with a bevel pinion 29 carried on and movable with the axle 6. On

the opposite end of the shaft 23 a bevel gear 30 is mounted meshing with a bevel gear 31 carried by a vertically arranged stub shaft 32 mounted in a bearing 33 carried by the diagonally arranged portion of the frame 1. A vertically arranged shaft 34 is carried in a bracket 35 having an arcuate bearing portion 36, a plurality of wearing washers 37 being mounted on the top and bottom of the arcuate portion 36 to form a guide for the shaft 34. The shaft 34 is provided with an extension 38 slidably connected thereto as indicated at 39, said extension 38 being universally connected with the shaft 32 as indicated at 40. I provide means for adjusting vertically the shaft 34, said means comprising preferably a substantially arcuate lever 41 having pivotal and slidable connection at 42 with the shaft 34 and pivoted at 43 on one of the brackets 35. The lever 41 terminates at its upper end in a foot pedal 44, the same being disposed within easy reach of the operator. A lever 45 is pivoted at 46 to the frame 1 and is connected pivotally and slidably with the shaft 34 as indicated at 47. The shaft 34 of the centering wheel 53 is extensible with respect to the shaft 38, through the spline connection 39. Any suitable adjusting means such as a quadrant 48 may be provided for the lever 45. An operators seat is provided, designated 49 mounted on a bracket 50. A trail wheel 51 is swiveled at 52 on the rear end of the frame 1 to support the latter. On the lower end of the .shaft 34 I have mounted what may be termed an earth scatterer or broadcast wheel designated 53. The upper face of the wheel 53 1s provided with a plurality of radially extending curved ribs 54, the convex faces of the ribs being disposed in the direction of rotation.

In operation, a draft animal or traction engine may be connected to the clevis 15. Rotation of the wheels, the same being in contact with the earth, imparts movement to the axle 6 which in turn, through the bevel gears 28 and 29, imparts movement to the shaft 23. Rotation of the shaft 23 is imparted through the bevel gears 30 and 31 to the shaft 34 thereby rotating the broadcast wheel 53 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The plow 16 may now be lowered by adjusting the handle 19. The device in operation is preferably drawn along one side of the road which is to be aded and at the proper time the plow 16 1S lowered as set forth and the earth 1s thereby dislodged, traveling up on the plow thence dropping upon the broadcast wheel which, owing to its rapid rotation, throws the earth toward the middle of the road. I desire to lay particular stress, however, on the broad idea of dislodging the earth and then by centrifugal means delivering the same to the center of a. roadway for grading purposes or otherwise. Of course, the device need not be limited in its applicatlon to road grading purposes, but may be employed in turning and scattering earth in any circumstance. It will be noted that by moving the lever 45 on its pivot point the angular adjustment of the wheel relative a horizontal position is permitted, and by operating the foot pedal 44 the plane in which the wheel 53 revolves may be changed at will It will be noted that all of the operating, adjusting and controlling means of my invention are readily accessible from the operators seat during the operation of the device. The purpose of the universal joint 27 will be of course understood when it is noted that to adjust the height of the frame 1 it is necessary that the axle 6 be moved relative the frame, therefore, relative the shaft 23 which necessitates the universal joint mentioned. lVhile I have shown and described a specific means for adjusting the depth of the plow and for adjustin the height of the frame I do not desire to e limited to such showing and it will be understood that changes in the detail structure of the invention without departure from the scope of the claims may be made.

I claim:

1. A road grader includin a supporting frame, driving wheels carrie by the frame,

a stub driving shaft having a universal joint Y the driving wheels are rotated, a grooved ulley carried upon said stub shaft, a lever hinged upon said bracket and engaging said grooved pulley, thus causing the ooved pulley to be shifted vertically as said lever is swung, thereby adjusting the stub shaft, a scattering disk keyed upon said stub shaft, and ribs secured upon said disk, and means for depositing earth upon said disk, thus causin the rotation of the disk to centrifugally t row the earth therefrom.

3. A road grader includin a frame, an angular bracket secured to sai frame, a stub, shaft passing through said bracket, driving wheels connected to said frame, means connectin said driving wheels to said stub shaft or rotating the stub shaft, a grooved pulley carried upon said stub shaft, a lever hinged upon said bracket and engaging said grooved pulley, thus causing the grooved In testimony whereof I afiix my signature pulley to be shified fiertiglally and fils saig in presence of two Witnesses.

lever is swung, t ere a justing t e stu shaft, a scattering disk l ieyed upon said stub CARL NORDENSTAM shaft, and means for depositing earth upon Witnesses:

said disk, thus causing the rotation of the W. F. DOBBIN,

disk to throw the earth therefi'om. E. G. LImL. 

